Common Name: Utrasum Bean Tree
Vernacular Name: രുദ്രാക്ഷം
Systematic position:
Class- Magnoliopsida
Subclass- Dillenlidae
Order- Oxalidales
Family- Elaeocarpaceae
Genus- Elaeocarpus
Species- E. ganitrus
Description: It is a tree that typically grows to a height of 40 m and usually has buttress roots at the base of the trunk. The leaves are about 60–180 mm long, 40–60 mm wide with wavy serrations on the edges and tapering to a petiole 5–15 mm long, but lacking a pulvinus. Old leaves often turn bright red before falling. The flowers are arranged in racemes up to 100 mm long, each flower on a pedicel 9–16 mm long. The five sepals are 8–11 mm long and 1–2 mm wide. The five petals are creamy white, egg-shaped to oblong, 12–15 mm long and 3–4 mm wide, the tip with linear lobes. There are between thirty-five and sixty stamens and the style is 11–18 mm long and glabrous. The fruit is a more or less spherical, bright blue or purple drupe 15–23 mm in diameter.
Flowering and Fruiting: In its natural environment, it flowers during summers i.e. in May and June. The fruits ripen in November to December.
Economic Importance: It is been used to cure many health problems in different parts of the World. Leaves and seeds are known for various medicinal properties and traditionally used to cure stress, anxiety, depression, palpitation, nerve pain, epilepsy, migraine, lack of concentration, asthma, hypertension, arthritis and liver 9 diseases.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaeocarpus_angustifolius